Inverell Shire Council has endorsed a submission to the NSW Parliament Legislative Assembly Select Committee on Emergency Services Funding Reform, outlining Council’s position on proposed changes to the way emergency services are funded across New South Wales.
The submission follows Council’s May 2026 resolution to respond to the NSW Treasury Emergency Services Funding Reform Options Paper, which outlines potential models to replace the current Emergency Services Levy. Council’s submission supports the principle of broadening emergency services funding across all landowners, rather than relying solely on insured property owners, while also backing concession arrangements for pensioners and financially vulnerable landowners.
Council has also expressed support for the proposed concession for vacant land, a phased transition to any replacement levy, and Levy Model Option D, which includes regional discounts. Importantly, the submission advocates for the removal of the current local government contribution toward emergency services funding and calls for Revenue NSW, rather than councils, to administer and collect any replacement levy.
The submission is informed by analysis of approximately 8,900 assessable properties across the Inverell Shire local government area using NSW Valuer General land valuation data. That analysis highlights the potential for significant impacts on regional communities, particularly primary producers, commercial and industrial property owners, and reinforces the need for any new funding model to remain equitable, affordable and responsive to the different circumstances of metropolitan, regional and rural New South Wales.
Council’s submission also raises concerns about the risk of significant levy increases for commercial and industrial properties, the importance of protecting farmland from substantial increases and the need for appropriate indexation and review of land value tier thresholds over time.
Council’s submission is aimed at ensuring regional communities are treated fairly in any future emergency services funding model.
Mayor Kate Dight said, “Council supports sensible reform of emergency services funding, but it is essential that any replacement model is fair, affordable and recognises the realities faced by rural and regional communities. Our submission makes it clear that local government should not continue to shoulder an unfair share of this burden, and that any new system must avoid creating unreasonable costs for farmland, businesses and other regional landowners.”
Media Release: Inverell Shire Council
